


A Night at Sardi's

by StrictlyFromCorn (orphan_account)



Series: Fred Astaire x Ginger Rogers [13]
Category: Astaire/Rogers RPF, Fred Astaire/Ginger Rogers Movies
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-01
Updated: 2014-04-01
Packaged: 2018-01-17 20:41:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,592
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1401781
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/StrictlyFromCorn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>1930, New York - Fred and Ginger go to the famous Sardi's restaurant, where they discover lots of things. Not least of all, their love for each other.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Night at Sardi's

**Author's Note:**

> I have written a story similar to this one, the "Apple Pies and Kisses" one, but this is mostly fact. One of my friends went to Sardi's and talked to the son of the waiter who served Fred and Ginger when they were there in 1930. I've filled in some of the gaps myself, but anyway, I hope you enjoy!  
> I also kind of drew inspiration from the Frank Sinatra song "You and the Night and the Music", because Frank's one of my favorites and the song itself is so very romantic. :)

_You and the night and the music fill me with flaming desire,_

_Setting my being completely on fire!_

* * *

 

“This place is swell, isn’t it?” He asked with a grin as the song came to an end and the couples on the dance floor applauded. “Say, uh, Ginger, I’m hungry. What do you say about having dinner, huh? Our food’s already cold as it is - and I’ve had quite enough hoofing for one day.” As he made the suggestion, Fred offered his hand to the young woman, who took it and smiled in response.

“I was just about to say the same thing - but you looked like you were having so much fun, Freddie. Besides, it’s so much fun dancing with you.” Sure, he was choreographing a routine for Ginger and they danced together at work every day, but there was something special about the two of them “hoofing”with each other alone - not in front of a whole company of actors. And there was something undeniably romantic about the restaurant’s atmosphere; something which a rehearsal room didn’t have. It was Sardi’s - that restaurant that had opened a few years ago, and had quickly become the place where Broadway’s finest actors and actresses congregated.

“It’s fun dancing with you, too.” Fred stepped forward to pull out the chair for her and pushed it in after Ginger took a seat, not forgetting his manners. He sat down opposite her, eying the cold mashed potatoes and steak on the table with something less than enthusiasm. Well, it was a good thing that he wasn’t a big eater in the first place. “Say… Ginge, remember the first time we met? You… I thought you were purposely ignoring me.” Fred asked all of a sudden with a wide grin, remembering the incident clearly. He was so irrationally nervous that it was ridiculous.

“I wasn’t doing it intentionally, I just didn’t hear you! You were so soft when you introduced yourself.” Ginger responded with a giggle. It had been two weeks ago, but it stood out in her memory for several reasons. She couldn’t stop thinking about him - as a poet would say, she “had him under her skin”. And it was something that she didn’t mind, either.

“George was standing there about to die from laughter when he introduced us. Fine friend _he_ is!” Fred tried to distract himself with that thought as he picked at the steak. He wasn’t interested in the food any more - rather, he wanted to talk to Ginger. She seemed to have the same thought process, considering the fact that she only took a few small bites of the mashed potatoes.

“George can be a rascal sometimes, but all the same, I’m glad that he _did_ call you over to help us.” The actress commented all of a sudden. Their gazes met, and she quickly looked down at the plate, trying to suppress her giggles. Being around Fred made her feel like a schoolgirl again, and she loved how his presence instantly cheered her up.

“Aw, it’s nothing.” Fred was equally coy as he looked to the side, noticing a few patrons of the restaurant that were walking over to their table. He was used to such attention, after being a major Broadway star for nearly ten years, but Ginger’s reaction was entirely different. _Girl Crazy_ had opened just five days ago, but people were already starting to take notice of her.

“Oh, pardon me, are you… are you Fred Astaire? And you are… Ginger Rogers, aren’t you, miss?” One of them - a slightly nervous young lady, began with a tentative smile as she approached the two actors. Fred responded with a friendly nod, trying to calm her down. The fact that she was jittery in their presence could only mean one thing - she thought they were big, important stars. And they were - _both_ of them.

“Yes, I am.” Ginger looked a little stunned that she had been recognized by name already. Her blue gaze flitted to the notebook that the young lady had in her hand, and the dancer couldn’t help but smile as it was held out to her. “Who should I address it to?” Ginger had seen Fred being mobbed by fans before, so, she emulated his calm style of signing autographs for admirers. Inwardly, though, she felt as if she was going to explode from happiness. There - her first fan!

“Sophia, please.” The young lady responded with a sweet smile, as she watched Ginger sign the notebook for her. Fred was beaming with pride as he observed her as well, almost amused at how hard she was trying to keep calm. “Uh, Mr. Astaire, if you would be so gracious as  to sign it as well…?” Sophia asked politely, handing it to him as soon as Ginger was done.

“Sure.” Fred took it and signed his name on top of Ginger’s. Then, with a grin in Sophia’s direction, he added, “ _for a very special young lady - the first to see Astaire and Rogers together._” With that, he returned the notebook and pen, much to her delight.

“Thank you! Thank you so much!” With that, she returned to her table, almost tripping over her own high heels in her excitement.

“Say, Freddie, what did you write in there?” Ginger asked out of curiosity as she leaned across the table with a small smile. She could tell that he was up to something - she could always tell what he was thinking. He was like an open book to her, and she appreciated his honesty and directness when he said things to her.

“Well, you know.” Fred began, tilting his head to the side. He hesitated for a moment before rising from his seat opposite the dancer. Instead, he took a seat _next_ to Ginger, and as he sat down, he wrapped his arm around her. “Be serious, Ginge. What would stand between us?” The physical contact was comforting, and contrary to Fred’s expectations, it seemed completely natural, even in a public place like that.

“Well…” She answered slowly. His sudden shift of position was a bit bewildering to Ginger, but as the seconds passed, she found herself warming to that idea of his. She didn’t care who saw them together like that - the actress had to admit that she had never thought of the two of them as a couple beforehand, but she liked the concept very, _very_ , much. “Nothing.” Ginger finally stated with a grin. “Nothing whatsoever.”

* * *

 

_You and the night and the music thrill me but will we be one_

_After the night and the music are done?_

* * *

Fred was about to say something witty when the waiter returned to the table to check on them. The young man looked slightly bewildered at their seating arrangement, but he said nothing. “I… assume everything is all right?” It wasn’t just _all right_ \- things were obviously looking up for the two dancers. But he asked anyway, just for the sake of formality.

“Oh, yeah, I should say we’re doing _fine_.” Fred responded with a flirtatious grin in Ginger’s direction. He barely paid the waiter any attention; his hazel gaze was focused only on the young lady with him. It was completely understandable, though - it had often been said that that was what people in love did.

“Got something on your mind, Fred?” Ginger inquired teasingly as she playfully undid his tie. He looked like he was about to protest for a brief second, but Fred wisely decided against it and simply shook his head with a smile.

“Of course. Has anyone told you that you look _gorgeous_?” He meant every word that he had said. Oh, sure, there were plenty of girls that came and went during the run of his shows on the West End, or when they were on tour, but none of them were like Ginger. None of them even came close to being in her league. There was a distinct difference between them and her; they were ordinary chorus girls, but Fred knew that she was destined to be something bigger. Ginger had been talking about going to California to make movies - and he had no doubt in the notion that she would be the movie queen. And last, but _definitely_ not least; he was in love with her.

“Lots of people have - naturally.” Ginger kept up the cool act, although part of her wanted simply to melt into his arms right there and then. “Although I can tell that you’re being sincere.” She added, unable to tear her blue gaze away from his. The actress had already been married once before, but she could honestly say that her former husband did _not_ even come near to the way Fred was looking at her at that moment.

She didn’t exactly know why she had married him - Ginger couldn’t see one ounce of charm that he had. Perhaps it was the intoxication of being seventeen, but at least, that had worn off. Maybe _this_ was truly the love that poets and authors have tried to express for as long as humankind can remember.

“...We’ll make this last. Truly.” By that point, Fred had forgotten that he wasn’t in a dark hotel room with Ginger. He had forgotten that they could be seen by other people in public, but really, he didn’t care any longer. He wanted their relationship to last, and he couldn’t blame Ginger if she was a little apprehensive, given the failure of her marriage, but he also wanted her to know that he would always be there for her. Fred didn’t want it to be another one of those flings, because he felt like they were on another level by that point. It was a strange thought process, since they had only met a few weeks ago, but love was like that. Once you met the person you _truly_ cared for, there was no stopping the free-fall that came with it.

* * *

 

_Until the pale light of dawning and daylight, our hearts will be throbbing guitars,_

_Morning may come without warning, and take away the stars._

* * *

“I know you care, Fred.” There was a slight quiver to Ginger’s voice as she ran her hand across his shoulder. “I’m glad that you care. You’re the most wonderful person that I know and…” She didn’t know what else to say, because it had all been said before. It had been repeated so many times that it was a cliché by that point, and she always tried to be original. So, she simply stayed silent, hoping that would convey her message better than any overused phrase could.

“I hope the sun _never_ rises and this night _never_ ends.” Fred stated wishfully. He was a realist, but those dreamy thoughts sometimes slipped out - and his affection for Ginger was making him act slightly out of character. He wished that _every_ night could be like that - he certainly would not be complaining.

“Mr. Astaire? Miss Rogers?” Somebody else called out tentatively, breaking them out of their thoughts. Fred looked up to see a middle-aged man with a mustache, who was presumably somebody of importance at the restaurant. “I hope I’m not disturbing you. My name is Vincent - I’m the manager of Sardi’s.” He was used to having big Broadway stars come in and out of the place on a regular basis, but he loved meeting them and introducing himself as well. “I hope everything has been satisfactory for you tonight.”

“Yes, yes, quite satisfactory.” Ginger interrupted Fred, almost sticking her tongue out at him. He had a habit of cutting her off sometimes, and she could find no better way to get back at him than talking to the manager of the restaurant. “The food was very good - my friend over here - _the old man_ \- thinks so, too.” She could scarcely keep from laughing out loud at Fred’s reaction to that name.

“Oh, now, wait a second! I’m not an old man!” Fred burst out in protest, although he found the whole affair extremely amusing. The grin on his face was noted by the manager, who couldn’t help but smile a little at the way those two teased each other. “You’ve gotta excuse her - you see, she’s only a _child_.” He added with a glare in Ginger’s direction as he tried to keep a straight face.

“In that case, I’d say you two balance each other out.” Vincent’s meaning was only thinly veiled - it was no secret that he thought they made a great couple. He hoped that they appeared in a play together sometime soon; given the chemistry between them, and their dancing abilities, it would most definitely be a hit. “Have you two ordered dessert yet? It’ll be my treat.” He quickly added, wanting to be as hospitable as possible to the two stars.

“Well, thanks - thanks very much! We’ll have the, uh… the chocolate mousse. Just one, though - I’ve got _three_ performances tomorrow! What do you say, Ginge?” Fred had had his eye on that ever since they stepped into the place, and although he normally didn’t eat much dessert, the dish looked too good to resist. And he knew for a fact that Ginger had a sweet tooth - he often teased her about it, too.

“Who am I to argue with your wisdom?” She retorted playfully as she raised her left eyebrow. “But really - that sounds delicious.” Ginger added with a small smile as she pressed closer to Fred, who wrapped his arm around her more tightly in response.

“I’ll have it out for you right away.” With that, the manager turned on his heel and headed back into the kitchen, determined not to make them wait any longer. As he passed by a group of waiters, he overheard part of their conversation - which happened to be about Fred and Ginger.

_“...They make such a good couple…”_

_“...Are they going to announce their engagement?”_

_“....Don’t be silly! Last I heard, he was single. But I can tell you now -_ that _has changed!”_

_“...These two are just meant to be, aren’t they?”_

Normally, he would tell them to get back to work, but a small part of him couldn’t help but agree with the waiters’ sentiments. There was a line from one of Shakespeare’s plays that was brought to mind. “True love cannot be found where it truly does not exist, nor can it be hidden when it truly does.”

“Ginge, I think your presence is causing quite a stir.” Back at the table, Fred had started to notice the way people were whispering about them - in a good way, of course. There were several fans that watched from an admiring distance as the two of them made themselves comfortable together.

“Why wouldn’t it?” Ginger asked with a slight laugh to her tone. “No, it’s not just me. It’s you _and_ me. It’s us - together.” She affirmed with a nod of her head, convinced that the reason why people were gawking was the fact that they were getting so close in public.

“We’re unstoppable together.” Fred added, only half-jokingly, though. He truly believed that they’d cause a sensation if they teamed up as dancing partners. But he wasn’t thinking about work at that time; only the thought of how nice it was to cuddle with Ginger occupied his mind.

“One chocolate mousse, as you ordered, Mr. Astaire.” Vincent returned with the dessert a few moments later. He set it down on the table in front of the two dancers, who reluctantly sat up from their comfortable position.

“Thank you. It’s very kind of you - and the food’s so good! If I come here often, I’ll probably end up eating so much that I won’t be able to dance any more. And that’s not quite a good thing, now, is it?” Fred thanked the manager with a grin as he dug into the dessert with a spoon. “Come on, Ginge, you gotta eat up, too, if you’re going to stay _strong_ and _healthy_.” He teased as he handed her the same utensil.

“Aw, let’s just drop it, Freddie. Here, I admit my defeat. You’re _not_ an old man.” She looked up from the delicious dessert with a wide smile. “Mm - this chocolate mousse is _so_ good!” Ginger commented after a few bites.

“That’s all right; you’re not a kid any more, either. You’re certainly more beautiful than that.” Fred added as he placed his elbow on the table and waited in silence for Ginger to return the spoon to him so that he could have some, too. But she was so engrossed in it that she just about forgot that there was only one. They continued that way until she was about halfway done, at which point she realized what was going on.

“Oh, Fred, were you - oh!” Ginger burst out into giggles again as she sheepishly handed him the spoon. “Sorry. It was _that_ good.”

“Ginge, I can only confirm or deny that statement if I can _taste_ the dessert.” Fred shot a teasing smile at her as he took another bite from the chocolate mousse. “All right - I can see why you were gonna eat it all. It is really good, but… you know, sharing is caring.” With that, he looked up and returned the spoon to her. “Here. I’m not that hungry anyway, and I know how you love sweet stuff.” The expression of delight on Ginger’s face was worth more than a million dollars to him, and Fred couldn’t help but grin as well. “You’re so silly.” He added after a moment as he observed Ginger devour the dish eagerly. “But I love you.” The dancer reached out and booped her on the nose.

“Hey!” Ginger wasn’t expecting it, but she loved it all the same. “I love you too, Freddie.” She added as she finished off the chocolate mousse with a few more bites, unable to stop smiling.

* * *

_If we must live for the moment, love till the moment is through!_

_After the night and the music die, will I... have you?_

* * *

“Uh, waiter!” Fred waved to the waiter as soon as Ginger finished the food. He didn’t want the night to end just yet - and part of him started to doubt whether they would be able to have another date like that any time soon. However, he pushed those uncertainties away as the waiter came over with the check. “Ginge, before you argue, I’m paying.” He raised a hand that stopped her protest mid-way, and she couldn’t help but smile at him. Fred was a true gentleman. And Ginger knew that they weren’t just loving each other for the moment - no, they _really_ meant it.

“I’ll leave a tip, at least.” She offered all of a sudden, unwilling to let Fred pay for everything. He turned around to argue with her, but stopped himself, knowing that it was useless. If there was one word to describe Ginger, it was independent, and he wasn’t going to get in her way. “The chocolate mousse was _so_ good.” The actress added again with a smile.

“How good?” Fred signed the receipt and looked up at Ginger.

“As good as the feeling I get when I kiss you.” With that, she leaned over to give him a quick peck on the lips. It was a little unexpected - and he nearly dropped the receipt.

“It’s a good thing, then, that we have each other… isn’t it?” Fred finally managed to get those words out of him. Was he just imagining that, or did Ginger just acknowledge for sure that they were a couple? He left the money and check on the table, before turning his hazel gaze back to her.

“A very good thing.” Ginger wrapped both her arms around Fred and intensified the kiss this time - it wasn’t just an innocent peck. It was more of a romantic - maybe even aggressive gesture, and he returned it with all of his heart. In fact, they were so engrossed in the kiss that they hardly noticed the fact that the waiter had returned to take the check.

They finally broke away when the waiter returned a second time. There was a knowing look on his face - almost a sly grin of sorts, and Fred returned it with a nod and a smile. “All right, now that we’ve made a public declaration of our relationship, what are we going to do?” The dancer inquired as he got out of his seat and offered his hand to Ginger.

“You know… it’s not decent to kiss in restaurants like this, but there’s no law against doing it in… cars…” She suggested with a flirtatious grin. “Only if you get rid of your chauffeur, though.”

“Are you kiddin’?” Fred could hardly believe his ears. There he was, not a moment ago, fretting over whether he’d still be with Ginger, but now, he had just been presented with the opportunity of his life. He _was_ going to have Ginger, after the night and the music were done, too.

“Fred, you know I’d never joke around about an issue as serious as this.” And with that, the happy couple walked out, hand in hand as they smiled continuously.

“Are they going to-?” One of the waiters asked, a bit too loudly, as soon as Fred and Ginger were out of earshot. He quickly realized his mistake and turned around sheepishly, ready to get back to work, when another one of his colleagues placed  an arm around his shoulder.

“I’ll wager ten bucks. They _are_.”

 


End file.
